Cross-cultural adaptation of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale in Greek clinical population

Abstract

Background: Catastrophizing is an important psychological construct in mediating the behavioral response toward pain. Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) in Greek clinical population. Methods: The scale was administered in 376 patients with chronic cervical and lumbar pain. Test–retest reliability, internal consistency (Cronbach [Formula: see text]) and concurrent validity were assessed. Exploratory (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used to test the factorial validity of the hypothesized three factor structure. Results: The PCS factors suggested high levels of test–retest reliability, whereas Cronbachs’ [Formula: see text] values were acceptable. The EFA yielded a three-factor solution and indicated a marginal fit to the data. CFA procedures indicated a rather acceptable fit to the data. The concurrent validity of the instrument was confirmed. Conclusion: PCS seems to be a reliable and valid instrument in Greek patients with chronic cervical and lumbar pain.